Which Method of Muscle Recovery Best Suits You: Foam Roller vs Massage Gun?

Let's break down the PROS and CONS of using a foam roller and massage gun, so that you can recover in the manner that best suits you!

A lot of athletes may find themselves struggling to make the decision on which method of recovery to use. Both methods promise to increase blood flow & decrease time associated with recovery. So which method works best?

Foam rollers have become extremely popular because of how inexpensive they are and ease of access. There are a variety of foam rollers that come in different formats, sizes and are easy to store/use. Models can be found in textured format, smooth format and more!

Image taken from: https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/foam-rolling-how-to

On the other hand, massage guns have made their way into the market and have become crucial for any athletes looking to invest a bit more into their recovery. The massage gun Tendo, has become the ideal tool for athletes to incorporate in the routines. This recovery method requires minimal effort. Physiotherapists have also begun to implement the method into their practices as well. The added-benefit, massage guns are great for targeting a specific muscle !

Image taken from: https://ecowhiff.co.uk/best-deep-tissue-massage-gun/

So now that you have a basic understanding of their uses & differences. Refer to this easy breakdown table to do a side by side comparison:

The following table best explains the differences in each method of recovery:

	FOAM ROLLER	MASSAGE GUN
​PRICE	$	$$$
BENEFITS	​Easy to use on large muscle areas Inexpensive Easy to buy (sold in a wide variety of stores) Can be used to improve the range of motion in joints Improves blood flow	Applies a deeper pressure on sore muscle Claims to reduce recovery time significantly Can be used on smaller targeted areas Automatic response Improves blood flow Different massage heads target different areas and yield different results
HOW THEY WORK	Roll your muscles across the tube, which will help loosen muscles and tension	The massage gun applies consistent pressure, thousands of times a minute
MOST COMMON USE	Commonly found in a gym, to be used for cool downs and warm-ups. Perfect for individuals who sit down for long periods of time and would like to improve their range of motion, posture and mobility.	For those recovering from an injury / in rehab or who perform multiple intense workouts per week

So what’s the verdict?

Both methods of recovery have similar benefits, where they differ in terms of their price points, level of effort exerted during the process, muscle targeting abilities and availability!

Have questions or want to share your experience with one of the following recovery solutions? Leave a comment down below!

References:

SportTracks, The5krunner, & Mallery, S. (n.d.). Foam Rolling for Endurance Sports. Retrieved November 19, 2021, from https://sporttracks.mobi/blog/how-to-use-a-foam-roller-for-endurance-sports

Yuen, C. (2018, July 26). Foam Rolling: 8 Magic Moves That'll Relax All the Tension in Your. Retrieved November 19, 2021, from https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/foam-rolling-how-to